How do you keep your dough from being "crusty" on the top.. or dry/flaky?

The last time I made bread I was following directions in "The Breadmakers Appprentice" and after rising it said to not knead much... but the dough was very "crusty" on top.. had to knead a bit. Or would this "crustyness" just bake right in with the rest of the dough and I would not even notice?

Not really Michael, they just make it difficult to get a smooth soft outer crust before baking. I just give my dough a light spray with butter flavored pam, if I don't have any melted butter ready..I also cover with a lid or with plastic wrap to let rise.

I bake a couple of 1-lb loaves almost every week and it's not that hard:

After you mix and knead your dough you need a bowl at least double the size of your dough ball. I put in a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil and smear it around the sides of the bowl with my fingers. I then drop the dough ball into the bowl, rub it around a little so the bottom and sides get coated with oil, turn it over and cover the top with a kitchen towel. I let it proof until double in size ... then punch down, put into the bread pans, again covering with a dish towel, and allow to proof the second time. Then bake.

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yes you have to cover up the dough or else it will dry out. the guys @ my bakery just lay garbage bags over the pans & that seems to work fine. a cloth/towel works also. we don't have to spray them with anything because we can just press a button & the oven will fill up with steam. i think reinhart gives instructions on how to create steam in a home oven using a frying pan & spray bottle on p.93 of the bread baker's apprentice.

I always use milk when I bake bread-it just makes it better somehow.
I also add different types of oils and/ or butter.The type of oil used depends on what kind of bread I'm baking i.e. Italian Bread= Olive Oil.

I made this for the first time today. http://bread.allrecipes.com/az/BlRibbnWhitBrd.asp
I like the way they oil, (veggie oil) their bowl for rising. But, for the top after baking, I used the melted butter. Then on the second batch, I found rubbing the fresh-out-of-the-oven loaf top with a stick of cold butter works great. And without the clean-up of the melting dish.

Ya know, there is nothing I can add that hasn't already been said. That makes me a happy man. Just goes to show you, you're on the best food site on the Web.

There are things I do very well with bread. But I have had my share of failures as well. I have recently learned from a previous bread thread that too much oil in the batter inhibits the ability of yeast to do their job.

I love this place.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

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